Airship.



Patented Mar. 13, 1917. l

T. R. MACMECHEN & W. V. KAMP.

AIRSHIP.

APPLICATION FILED ILINE 22.1916.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS a. MACMECHEN AND WALTERV. KAMP, or NEW YORK, 11'. Y.

AIR-SHIP.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Mar, 13, 1917;

Application filed June 22,1916. Serial No. 105,098.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, THOMAS RUTHER- FORD MACMEOHEN and WALTER V. KAMP, citizens of the United States, and residents of the borough and county of Bronx, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Airships, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to metallic girders for use in structural formations where strength with lightness are essential, and our improvements are particularly directed to girders for employment in the frame-work construction of airships.

The metallic girders aforesaid are constituted of two parallel T-beams, spaced apart and connected by tubular posts or struts, which latter are also of metal, said T-beams and struts having interlocking union whereby relative movement therebetween 'is prevented, and whereby the constituent elements of the girder are caused to comprise a homogeneous unit.

, The frame-work of an airship may include these improved girders as longitudinal, hoop, or spiral elements.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in vertical section, showing a portion of a girder.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view, in cross section, of a portion of the girder formation, and

Fig. 3 is ,a section on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

The parallel T-beams or members of the girder each have a head portion 1 and a web ortion 2, and the relative arrangement of said T-beams is-such that their respective web portions are in opposed, spaced relation. At intervals along the length of the girder the T-beams are connected by transverse struts, as 3, which may be hollow, and of metal. Only one of these struts appears in the partial'view shown, but obviously a sufficient number thereof will be provided, suitably spaced apart, according to the length of the girder of which they form component parts. Preferably the web 2 of each T-beam is increased in depth at the places where connection is made with the struts;

as at 4, to afford ample anchorage, without requiring the general depth of said web to be of undue extent. Where the strut 3 is of metal, and hollow, the web is provided with two parallel slots 5, extending partway only therein, said slots being of suflicient width to receive, snugly, each an opposite thickness of the tubular strut wall. Also, the ends of the tubular strut 3 are slotted, as at 6, where each end abuts against the inner ends of slots 5, to embrace the web 2 the remainder of its depth, and thus to allow the major portion of the strut end to become seated upon the inner surface of the T-beam head.

By the means thus described the strut, at each end, is provided with a secure, quadrilateral and axial anchorage, in a T-beam, whereby stresses are communicated homogeneously through the thus unified structure of the girder.

A rivet 7 may be employed to fasten the strut end to the web, said rivet being entered through the tongue 8 left between the slots 5.

The enlarged web portions 4 may also be provided with holes 9 to receive tension wires or strands 10, which latter are extended, in crossed relation, diagonally between the parallel T-beams, as reinforcement.

We claim 1. A girdercomposed of parallel, spaced, 'T-members, whose web portions are opposed, and, respectively, are provided with pairs of slots, and connecting, tubular struts, whose ends, respectively, fit within said slots, to effect interlocking engagement with said web portions.

2. A girder composed of parallel, spaced, T-members, whose web portions are opposed, and, respectively, are provided with pairs of slots, and connecting, tubular struts, whose ends are also provided with slots, the slotted ends of said struts elfecting interlocking engagement with said web portions through their pairs of slots, and said strut ends seating against the T-beam heads.

3. In a composite girder, the combination of a pair o fq parallei, spaeed T-beams, whose the'city, ceunt y and State of New York, this respectivewebs are opposed, and have en 17th day of Jime, A. D. 1916. V

large d, opposite portions, struts qonnecting i said T-beams and seated in said; enlarged;

5 'portions, and tension wires engaging with V said enlarged portions and strung diago- Witnesses: nally between said T'-beams. C AS. EDGAR,

Signed at the borough of Manhattan in F. BARKER. 

